I guess I will weigh in on this topic again. I will try to keep my comments short and to the point. I agree with Kids Wrestling Fan that clarification on this issue is needed � obviously for different reasons. I do not feel that there is a system that can be put in place to please everyone. Believe it or not, I have been on both sides of this issue. It is important that we focus our energy ensuring the novice circuit serves the purpose of introducing �all� young wrestlers to the sport. I gave a detailed narrative on my views earlier in the year. You can review my previous post if interested.
Kids Wrestling Fan has chosen to use my 12-88# wrestler as a test case. I have no objection to this. Let this forum be the jury � but I would like you to have all the facts before you pass judgement. The young man in question came to our club last year as a first year wrestler. He is a good student, has an excellent work ethic, and has the general �want to� attitude that makes him a very competitive wrestler. Last year, at the topside of the 10-year-old bracket, he competed in very few tournaments on the open circuit. However, he did very well in the practice room. This year we started him out competing in open tournaments early. He is a leader in our practice room and wanted to travel with the team and compete in Saturday tournaments. He had very little success at the open level. Week in and week out rookie mistakes often cost him. In his first four tournaments of the year his record was 2-8 and he did not place. Because he is a second year wrestler, he had the opportunity to travel on the novice circuit and further develop his skills. He still has a long way to go and the season is winding down. However, this wrestler continues to get better week-to-week. He did place 2nd in the Ottawa tournament and was very proud of this accomplishment. I would like to note that Ottawa did a good job keeping the bracket sizes small and had several weight divisions with A and B brackets. This may explain his placement to a point. However, this wrestler worked very hard and earned the award he received on that particular Saturday. He has competed in eight open tournaments this year and his currant open tournament record has improved to 7-14. This wrestler's experiences are a testament to the good that can come from the novice circuit if you give it time. It is a great injustice for him to be pointed out as a negative example. The novice circuit allowed us to work on Saturdays mistakes the following day while they were fresh on his mind. It also allowed him to experience success which is extremely helpful in motivating wrestlers in the practice room. These two areas have lead to a much improved wrestler from December to February. Competing back to back on weekends is not for everybody. However, if you have a young wrestler that is hungry to compete in the sport and he qualifies I do not feel there should be a rule that would slow his development by limiting his weekend competition.
The one over riding factor should be safety. If a wrestler is overly aggressive for his age level or is consistently placing on Saturday parents, coaches, and club directors should then pull him from the novice circuit. I had one of my own parent/coaches concerned about the aggressiveness of a 6-37# wrestler in his son�s bracket at Shawnee Heights. My advice to the coach was similar to the comments of my previous post. My advice to the parent was that if he truly felt that wrestling the match would put his child in harms way then he should forfeit the match and move on to the next match. After all it is only a novice tournament and we are not looking to put notches in our belt. We are looking for a good learning experience.
Rome was not built in a day. I know my wrester has competed against the wrestler from Osawatomie several times this year. Each time they take the mat I see two evenly matched athletic wrestlers. I think this week was the first match that ended in a pin all year. I think Kids Wrestling Fan should get the clarification she has requested. Further direction from the state body may make all of us parents, coaches, and club directors struggling with this issue better manage our wrestlers. However, Kids Wrestling Fan�s comments make me wander if she really wants what is best for her son or if she just wants our wrestler to move on so her son can take his place at the top of the �novice� bracket. The 12-88# wrestler from Osawatomie is a good athlete and if he sticks with the sport he will develop into a great wrestler. Next year Kids Wrestling Fan might even look back and remember the matches her son had against our 12-88# wrestler and be thankful for the competition he had. Good luck.
FYI � Shawnee Heights was the last novice tournament on my 12-88# wrestler�s schedule. Hope we meet again on Saturdays! Good luck.
Mark J Stanley
President/Club Director
Jr. Viking Wrestling Club